Racket



Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED ySTIEIS PATENT vOEFIVTICE -RAoKET Johny M.' LeCompte, North Attleboro, Mass. Appiioationrobory 5, 1941, seria1No.377,465

Y r claims;` (o1. 27a-7a) This invention relates to a racket f' forvarious game uses, 'provided with a handle and a head frame containing strings.

The vracket which is on the market -in 'the more expensive forms has itsstrings rather tight. The strings are usually of lamb gut andare ofa hygroscopic nature such as to cause tremendous strains to be exerted on the head frame when these strings become wet. Under such treinen# dous strains warping frequently occurs; and` in studying the warping of a racket, I have` found that the top portion of the head frame first' moves inwardly under such strain. In Patent No. 2,220,935,dated November 12, 1940, of which I am one of the joint inventors, there is provided side surface and truss the frame from the in- 20 side of the racket head.

Accordingly, one of the objects 'of this invention is to simplify the construction which I have heretofore provided, utilizing the strength given by added material attached to the frame at the points desired to be strengthened without the strand supporting this material as heretofore provided in the patent above referred to.

The invention also has similarly for its object .in suitable spaced relation'.l v

modified manner of holding the vadcledimember in place.

In carrying out this invention, I may either form the head frame from 'a single 'piece of material which has previously been cut to provide strengthening portions at 'desired locations, or I may add strengtheningmaterial by suitablyzsecuring it at the desired locations where the strengthening isdesired. Thismay be done'either by adding one suitably-shaped piece oroy'a laminated construction of the head frame.,v

`With referencemore particularly to the drawing, I0 designates the headframe of the racket which merges into the -.handle II.. yand which frame Vhasa top portionA I2and side portions I3. This V'head frame is .provided with .holes through which strings I4, usually of lamb gut',are,placed The strings that extend vertically Yin the mid portion of the racket and the strings that extend at right angles thereto, also in the mid portion of the racket, take the majority of strain in the use of the racket. From study it has been found that if warping occurs due to the tension of these center strings, the first movement of the head which occurs is an inward bending at the top I2 of the head frame. order to prevent such inward movement vI have strengthened the frame by increasing its radial to strengthen the head frame without unduly dimension at the location of the top mid portion.

adding to the weight of the racket.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and

To strengthen this portion of the frame and prevent it from moving radially inwardly, I add material such as a member I5 secured firmly to the inner arcuate surface of the frame at this particularly pointed out in the appended claims. location Which, due to this larger area in cross In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the head frame of the racket, with a portion of the handle shown as being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing 40 a modied form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a Section 0f a fragment@ Portion 45 of the sides, the next weakest p1aoo, may also be of a modified head frame illustrating the strengthening portions of the head frame as formed out of the same stock as the frame;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 except that the same is arranged as shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. '7 and 8 are modifications respectively of Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating a laminated strengthening of certain portions of the head frame; and

Fig. 9 is a section through one of the portions section provided by the strengthening member I5, prevents inward bending at this location. While it is preferable that this member be inside of the curved portion of the head frame, in some cases it may be located as vat I6 in Fig. 2 outside, which also by the increased radial dimension of this portion of the frame strengthens the top portion so that it will not bend inwardly.

Similarly, it is found that at the mid portion strengthened by increasing the radial dimension of the frame at these locations, and I have added materials such as members II on the inside as in Fig. 1 or I8 on the outside as in Fig. 2, securely and firmly attached to this portion of the frame. With these strengthened portions at the locations I2 and I3 being of greater dimension than the head frame, I effectively prevent the moving inwardly of the frame at these locations of increased dimension of the frame showing a and thus prevent warping of the racket Without Accordingly, in'

' top and2I on the inside or 22 at vthe outside along the sides. as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the same theory being present in that this enlarged dimension provides the additional strength required e A to prevent inward bending at these locations lat which bending will rst occur, while strength at the other portions of the frame is unnecessary.

' In Figs. `'7 and 8, the head frame is laminated,

there being a thick ply 23 anda thinv ply 24 vony i the inside in Fig. 7 or a thin ply 25 on the outside Y as in Fig. 8; and between these plies I locate the strengthening members I5, I1 in Fig. 7, or I6, I8, as in Fig. 8, theplies assisting in `holding the strengthening members in place and also providing a finish for the inside'or outside of the racket. ,f

These portions of greater dimension formed by the members I5, I6, I1, and I8 may be secured by glue which I have indicated in Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8; or they may be secured by a screw 26 such as shown in Fig. 9. f

I claim:

1. In a racket,la'head frame carrying a plurality of strings, said frame being generally of a uniform radial dimension with a portion for a short extent of the length ofthe frame` at the top thereof: of a greater radial dimension'than said other portions to resist `bending at the said portions of greater dimension. j

2. In a racket, a head frame carrying a plurality of strings, said frame being generally ofa r uniform radial dimension. with a portion at spaced intervals for a short extent of the length of the frame at the top thereof and at opposite sides of a greater radial dimension than `said other portions to resist bending at the said portions of greater dimension.

3. In a racket, a head frame carrying a plurality of strings, said frame being generally of a uniform radial dimension with a portion for a short extent of the lengthk of the frame at the top thereof of a greater radial 'dimension than said other portions to resist bending at the said portions of greater dimension, said portion of greater dimension being built up by reason of an added y piece of material secured to the frame at the location of greater dimension.

`4.`In a racket, a head frame carrying a plurality of strings, said frame being generally of a uniform radial dimension with a portion at spaced intervals for a short extent of the length of the frame at the top thereof and at opposite sides of a greater radialdimension than said other portions to resist bending at the said portions of greater dimension, said portions of greater dimension being built up by reason of added pieces of material secured to the frame at the locations of greater dimension.

5. In a racket, a head frame carrying a plurality of strings, said frame being generally of ya uniform radial dimension with a portion fora short extent of the length of theframe at the topthereof of a greater radial dimension than said other portions to resist bending at the said portions of greater dimension,-said frame being formedl of laminated material,` said portion of greater dimension being built up by reason of` an added piece of material secured to the frame at the location of greater dimension, and between the laminated plies.

JOHN M. LE COMPTE. 

